National Landscape Character Areas (NLCA)

This dataset comprises of boundaries for the 48 regional landscape character areas for Wales. The purpose of this data capture was to geographically distinguish different regions in Wales in terms of landscape identity and what characteristics and qualities make one region different and distinct from another. These distinctions and policy drivers for this project are described, together with an illustrated narrative, and published on Natural Resources Wales (NRW's) website. This dataset covers 100% of terrestrial Wales including inter-tidal areas. Boundary data derived from source data 2007-2008 with the final version being amended October 2008. Some area names were amended in August 2023 to match written profile documents, and to reflect official status change for the names Eryri and Bannau Brycheiniog.

Identifier: NRW_DS109859

Alternative Title

Landscape character areas.LYR
National Landscape Character Area
Regional landscape character map for Wales
The character map- rLCA- Map cymeriad tirwedd rhanbarthol ar gyfer Cymru, National landscape character map.

Metadata Language: English

Lineage: Boundaries were created from an analysis of some 40+ existing environmental datasets plus a selection of site visits. Of note, this work includes reference to both the physical environment and human perceptions of it. Landscape is about the meeting of people and place, not just about place, as such, the boundaries were not derived mechanically from datasets but were also derived using some professional judgement, following site visits and preliminary work on mapping people's perceptions of how the Welsh landscape divides into 'broydd' (areas with a distinct sense of place that people commonly relate to). Mapping scale was 1:250,000 - so this dataset has very generalised boundaries. However, as the object of the exercise was to identify broad regions, concern over whether the boundary runs this side or that side of a road or field are not relevant within the scale of the regions being identified. For example 'Vale of Clwyd', 'Gower', Montgomeryshire Hills and Vales'. Instead, boundaries should be assumed to approximate broad zones of transition from one landscape area to another. Some landscapes presented strong physical features along which to run boundary lines, whereas other landscapes were found to be complex mosaics that gradually changed, or had subtle changes with few obvious single physical lines to follow. The resources of the project did not allow for detailed resolution of such boundaries and short cuts, typically in the form of following a generalised contour line, have often been used to complete the exercise. Islands are not included in the GIS dataset available to download, however they are included as contextual features within National Landscape Character Area (NLCA) description profiles and their map images. Islands are encompassed within the equivalent characterisation of seascapes, being the National Marine Character Areas (NMCA), also available to download on Datamap Wales”.

Additional Information: CCW Policy Research Report 07/19 explains the method in more detail. The perception related work ('Heuristic Mapping') is described in CCW Policy Research report 08/11. This is the first published dataset. Land Use Consultants (LUC) produced a first GIS version dated August 2007, but CCW did not publish this, and it is now superseded by the published version here.

Dataset Reference Date (Publication): 2023-09-18

Temporal Extent

Begin date: 2007-04-01

End date: 2023-09-18

Topic category

Boundaries

Owner

Natural Resources Wales (NRW)

Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales

http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en

Originator

Land Use Consultants

43 Chalton Street, London, NW1 1JD

http://www.landuse.co.uk/

Originator

Countryside Council for Wales (CCW)

Countryside Council for Wales, Maes y Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW

http://naturalresourceswales.gov.uk/splash?orig=/

Extent

Geographic Extent: Wales (WLS)

Distribution

Format Type and Description

Geographic Information System Geographic Information System ()

Specification

ESRI Feature Class

Resource Locator

Download data

World Wide Web page

Resource Locator

Web Mapping service

World Wide Web page

Data quality

Quality Scope: Dataset

Conformity: Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services
Explanation
Degree: false

Lineage: Boundaries were created from an analysis of some 40+ existing environmental datasets plus a selection of site visits. Of note, this work includes reference to both the physical environment and human perceptions of it. Landscape is about the meeting of people and place, not just about place, as such, the boundaries were not derived mechanically from datasets but were also derived using some professional judgement, following site visits and preliminary work on mapping people's perceptions of how the Welsh landscape divides into 'broydd' (areas with a distinct sense of place that people commonly relate to). Mapping scale was 1:250,000 - so this dataset has very generalised boundaries. However, as the object of the exercise was to identify broad regions, concern over whether the boundary runs this side or that side of a road or field are not relevant within the scale of the regions being identified. For example 'Vale of Clwyd', 'Gower', Montgomeryshire Hills and Vales'. Instead, boundaries should be assumed to approximate broad zones of transition from one landscape area to another. Some landscapes presented strong physical features along which to run boundary lines, whereas other landscapes were found to be complex mosaics that gradually changed, or had subtle changes with few obvious single physical lines to follow. The resources of the project did not allow for detailed resolution of such boundaries and short cuts, typically in the form of following a generalised contour line, have often been used to complete the exercise. Islands are not included in the GIS dataset available to download, however they are included as contextual features within National Landscape Character Area (NLCA) description profiles and their map images. Islands are encompassed within the equivalent characterisation of seascapes, being the National Marine Character Areas (NMCA), also available to download on Datamap Wales”.

Keywords

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0

Land cover

Type: Theme

Citation

Date (Publication): 2008-06-01

Code: geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.httpinspireeceuropaeutheme-theme

Keywords

NRW Thesaurus

landscape character assessment
spatial plan
landscapes

Type: Theme

Citation

Date (Publication): 2023-12-31

Code: geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-keywords

Keywords

NRW SMNR Vocabulary

Mountains, Moorland and Heaths (SMNR)
Woodlands (SMNR)
Urban (SMNR)
Physical Geography (physiography) (SMNR)
Geological (SMNR)
Semi-Natural Grasslands (SMNR)
Landscape (SMNR)
Enclosed Farmlands (SMNR)
Freshwater and Wetlands (SMNR)
Soil and Land (SMNR)
Ecosystem Services (SMNR)
Regulating Services (SMNR)
Provisioning Services (SMNR)
Cultural Services (SMNR)

Type: Theme

Citation

Date (Revision): 2023-12-27

Code: geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-smnr-keywords

Code: British National Grid (EPSG::27700)

Content Information

NRW Profile

Custom Elements

NRW Related Title: Heuristic mapping analysis

NRW Related Title: Landscape character map for Wales : character area descriptions

NRW Related Title: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/maps/nlca/?lang=en

Constraints

Limitations on Public Access and Use

Restriction type: Other restrictions

Access Constraints Directive

Limitations: no limitations

Access Constraints Text

Other constraints: There are no access restrictions on this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely.

Use Constraints

Use constraints type: Other restrictions

Other constraints: © CNC/NRW All rights Reserved. Contains Ordnance Survey Data. Ordnance Survey Licence number AC0000849444. Crown Copyright and Database Right. Data may be re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence providing it is done so, acknowledging both the source and copyright of the owners. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose.

Attribution Statement

Other constraints: Open Government Licence (OGL)

Licence

Other constraints: Open Government Licence (OGL)

Metadata

File Identifier: 4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313039383539 XML

Metadata Language: English

Resource type: Dataset

Metadata Date: 2024-05-30T15:35:55.812Z

Metadata Standard Name: NRW

Metadata Standard Version: 1.0

pointOfContact

Natural Resources Wales (NRW)

Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales

http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en

Publishing Body

Access the portal

Full access to the portal and metadata.

National Landscape Character Areas (NLCA)

Identification

Temporal Extent

Extent

Extent

Distribution

Distribution

Quality

Data quality

Keywords

Keywords

Citation

Keywords

Citation

Keywords

Citation

Spatial Reference System

Content

Content Information

NRW Profile

Custom Elements

Constraints

Constraints

Limitations on Public Access and Use

Access Constraints Directive

Access Constraints Text

Use Constraints

Attribution Statement

Licence

Metadata

Metadata

Publishing Body